Starting device for internal-combustion engines.



STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

A. L. STRAHLE & H. B. NOYES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.20, I916.

Patented May 29, 1917.

ARTHUR L. STPAHLE,3M1Mz/wtow. 8 HILAND B. Nowrs,

\ shaft rotarily engages the crankshaft; to-

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

ARTHUR I1. STRAHLE, OF BENSGN, AND HILAND B. hTOYES, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNALGOMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Application filed November 20, 1916. Serial No. 132,260.

To all {whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR L. STRAl-ILE, of Benson, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, and I-IILAND B. NoYEs, of Omaha, in the county and State aforesaid, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting Devices for Internal-Combustion Engines, and have described the same in the following specification, illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to that class of start ing devices which are commonly employed in cranking the internal combustion engines of automobiles, and Which individually comprise a cranking shaft for rotating the crankshaft of the engine, means for mu tually connecting and disconnecting these shafts, a motor-driven shaft, and gearing between the motor-driven shaft and the cranking shaft. It is the main object of the invention to impart a resiliently yielding quality in a superior manner to the operative connection between the two last-mentioned shafts of a starting device of Jahis class; to cushion the shock of impact as the cranking cause the cranking motor, as it initiates the rotation of the engine, to take up its load. in a gradual and progressive manner; to reduce to a minimum the requisite power and weight of this motor; to increase the durability of the apparatus; at the same time to provide for starting the engine with a hand crank, independently of the gears, whenever occasion may require; and in general to produce a superior and efficient starting device of the specified class. To accomplish these results, we incorporate in our improved starter, as parts thereof, a longitudinally slidable cranking shaft, a ratchet-wheel thereon, a pair of spiral gears between the motor-driven shaft and the cranking shaft, and a spring pawl operating between the ratchet-wheel andthe gears.

In said drawings, illustrating the best manner in which we have contemplated applying the principles of the invention, Fig

ure 1 is an axial vertical section, partly a :side elevation, of a starting device which is constructed inaccordance with these principles andis mounted in an operative posltion on an extension of the crank case of an autoto show internal construction. Fig. 3 is a plan of the gear case of the same starter, mounted as in Fig. 1.

In the instance illustrated by these drawings, the cranking shaft 1, disposed in axial alincment with the crankshaft 2, is jcurnaled in the front end bearing 3 of the crankcase 1, by means of the bush 5, and. is slidable longitudinally therein. In its forward end it has a pin 6 for engagement with hand crank. On its rear end it carries the ratchet-toothed clutch member 7 for engage ment with the similar clutch member 8 on the crankshaft; and in an intermediate location, forward of the bearing 3, itcarries the keyed ratchet-wheel 9. The spiral gear 11 is rotatably n'iountcd on the same shaft by means of the intermediate hub 10 of this ratchet-wheel; and is retained on this hub by the faceplate 12 fastened to the end of the hub by the screws 13. This gear is hollow, having the annular and externally grooved peripheral Wall 14 which distantly encircles the contained ratchet 9. It contains a plurality of uniformly spaced spring pawls 15, duplicates of each other, workin between the gear and the ratchet, and consisting sevorally of an arcuate strip of steel, of uniform section area, having one end rigidly secured to the inside of the wall 14, and the other end contacting with the eriphery of the ratchet in an approximatel y tangential position.

The shaft 16, arranged in parallelism with the cranking shaft, and actuated by an unseen. cranking motor, carries the fixed spiral pinion 17, which meshes constantly with the gear 11 within the gear-case 18. This gear case has the cars 19 for mediate attachment screw. In the, cap 24, constituting the front wall of, this gear-case, is formed the additional bearing 23 for the shaft 1; while the shaft 16 is journaled in both the front wall and the rear wall of thesame case.

Whenever the starting motor is brought into operation for the purpose of cranking.

the engine, the interaction of the spira gears forthwith rotates the shaft 1 and also" impels the same longitudinally backward,

wherebythc clutch members 7 and 8 if? 10 tern'al thread 21 and. constitutes a tubular the starter, as the motor stops. Likewise.

the-teeth of the constantly meshing gears are so inclined that the axial thrust thereon holds the clutch niembers 7 and 8 in operative contact while the gears are being 0 erated by the starting motor; and draws tlese members apart when the speed of'the gear 11 is accelerated by the starting ofthe engine. In this cranking operation, power derived from the ihotor is transmitted from .the hollow gear to the contained ratchet wheel on the crankshaft by the endwise thrust on the described spring awls 15, which are severally subjected there y to longitudinal compression bending them to agreater or less curvature varying with the resistance of the load. In overcoming the inertia of the engine and initiatin the r0- ta'ry movement of the crank sha t by the thrust of the elastically: bending pawls, a brief instant of time is consumed, which is of'suilicient duration to reduce by a considerable and important percentage the requisite horsepower of the starting motor.

Without further explanation it is obvious that the described starter possesses the further merit'of effecting the above specified object of the invention in all other of the several particulars thereof which are above enumerated.

We claim as our invention- 1. A starting device of the specified class, comprising a crankshaft of an engine; a cranking shaft, movable both rotarily and endwise in its bearings; an independently rotatable spiral gear, mounted on the cranking shaft; a ratchet-wheel, fixedly mounted on the cranking shaft; a plurality of elastic pawls between the .gear 7 and the ratchet wheel; a motor-driven shaft carrying a spiral pinion meshing with the spiral gear; and means, operated by the cranking shaft, for coupling that shaft to the crankshaft of the engine. r

2. A starting device of the specified class, comprising a crankshaft of an engine; a rotatable cranking shaft, slidable enclwise in its bearings; a ratchet-wheel, having a hub keyed on the cranking shaft; an independentl rotatable spiral gear wheel, mounted on .hub of the ratchet; a spring pawl between the gear and the ratchet-wheel; a power-driven shaft carrying a spiral pinion meshing with the spiral gear; and coupling means between the cranking shaft and the engine crankshaft.

3. A. starting device of the specified class,

comprising a crankshaft of an engine; a. rotatable cranking shaft slidable endwise; an independently rotatable spiral gear mounted on the cranking shaft; means for making and unmaking resiliently yielding driving engagements between the cranking shaft and the spiral gear; a power-driven shaft carrying a spiral pinion meshing constantly with the spiral gear; and a-ratchet clutch between the cranking shaft and the crankshaft of the. engine.

4. A starting-dc of the specified class, comprising a crankshaft of an engine; a. cranking shaft, adapted to be rotated and slid endwise in its bearings by a terminal hand crank; an independently rotatable spiral gear mounted on the cranki'n shaft; means for rotating the cranking s aft by the spiral gear; a power-driven shaft carrying a spiral pinion meshing with the spiral gear; and means operated by the endwise movements of the cranking shaft for connecting that shaft with the crankshaft of the engine.

5. A starting device of the specified class, comprising a crankshaft of an engine; a. cranking shaft slidableendwise in its bearings; an independently rotatable spiral gear mounted on the cranking shaft; intermediate yielding means for driving the crankin shaft by the gear; a motor-driven spira pinion meshing constantly w'th the s iral gear; and a clutch, operated by the GIICFWiSB movements of the cranking shaft, for coupling and uncoupling the crankshaft of the engine and the cranking shaft.

6. A starting device ofthe specified class,

comprising a crankshaft of an engine; Ia cranking shaft for rotating the crankshaft of the engine; means for mutually connecting and dls'connecting these shafts; a-powerdriven gear rotarily mounted on the cranking shaft; and a resilientmcmber throu h which rotary power is transmitted from t e gear to the cranking shaft.

, 110 7. A starting device of the specified class;

comprising a crankshaft of an engine; a cranking shaft for rotating the crankshaft of the engine; means for moving the cranking shaft longitudinally in its bearings; means for mutually connecting and disconnecting. the shafts; a power-driven shaft; and an elastically yielding member for transmitting rotary power from the driven shaft to the cranking shaft.

shaft; means for making and 5 Y ing shaft for connecting that shaft with the comprising a crankshaft of an engine; a crankshaft of the engine. rotatable cranking shaft, slidable endwise 9. A startingdeviee of the specified class, a in its hearings; a ratchet-wheel having a,

comprising a crankshaft of an engine; a hub keyed fixedly on the cranking shaft; an 2) 5 rotatable crankingshaft,,movable endwise independently rotatable spiral and hollowin its bearings; anindependently rotatable gear wheel, mounted on the hub of the spiral ear, mounted on the cranking shaft; ratchet-wheel; a plurality of arcuate spring a :rate et-wheel fixedly mounted on the pawls, secured to the inside of the hollow cranking shaft; a pawl between the gear gear wheel; a power shaft carrying a spiral 2 10 and the ratchet-wheel; adriven shaft-carrypinion meshing with the spiral gear; and ing a spiral pinion meshing with the spiral means for 0 eratively connectin the crankgear; and opposing clutch members having ing shaft with the crankshaft o the engine. ratchet teeth andwcarried by the cranking Witness our signatures, at Omaha, Neshaft and the crankshaft of the engine rebraska, November 16th, 1916. 15 spectively. V ARTHUR L. STRAHLE.

10. A starting device of the specified class, I HILAND B. NOYES. 

